Illinois‘ addiction to gaming revenues resembles that of a heroin junkie in the throes of severe withdrawal. The latest proposed “fix” would create de facto racinos at all of the state’s horse tracks. State Rep. Dwight Kay (R) is pushing “historical racing,” which has already been adopted in Arkansas and Kentucky. Playing slot machine-like terminals, historical-racing players wager on previously run races, with the identity of the horses concealed.
Kay’s concern lies close to home, constituent Fairmount Park having been left out of the most recent plan for gambling expansion. “This is just one stopgap to maybe help 
Fairmount and maybe some other tracks. The bill would buy some time for Fairmount” until gambling could be expanded on a wider scale, Kay says. The Illinois Harness Horsemens Association remains fixed upon slot machines at the tracks as its endgame and, in any event, speedy legislative action appears unlikely. The IHHA’s Steve Brubaker “said if a gambling package that includes slots at the race tracks isn’t Continue reading
